Liber I Paralipomenon, 19

1. Accidit autem post haec, ut moreretur Naas rex filiorum Ammon, et regnaret filius eius pro eo.

1. Now after this Nahash the king of the Ammonites died, and his son reigned in his stead.

2. Dixitque David: “Faciam misericordiam cum Hanon filio Naas; praestitit enim pater eius mihi gratiam”. Misitque David nuntios ad consolandum eum super morte patris sui. Qui cum pervenissent in terram filiorum Ammon, ut consolarentur Hanon,

2. And David said, "I will deal loyally with Hanun the son of Nahash, for his father dealt loyally with me." So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. And David's servants came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites, to console him.

3. dixerunt principes filiorum Ammon ad Hanon: “Tu forsitan putas quod David honoris causa in patrem tuum miserit, qui consolentur te; nec animadvertis quod, ut explorent et investigent et evertant terram tuam, venerint ad te servi eius”.

3. But the princes of the Ammonites said to Hanun, "Do you think, because David has sent comforters to you, that he is honoring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?"

4. Igitur Hanon pueros David tulit et rasit et praecidit tunicas eorum a natibus usque ad pedes et dimisit eos.

4. So Hanun took David's servants, and shaved them, and cut off their garments in the middle, at their hips, and sent them away;

5. Qui cum abissent et hoc mandassent David, misit in occursum eorum — grandem enim contumeliam sustinuerant — et praecepit, ut manerent in Iericho, donec cresceret barba eorum, et tunc reverterentur.

5. and they departed. When David was told concerning the men, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. And the king said, "Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return."

6. Videntes autem filii Ammon quod odiosos se fecissent David, tam Hanon quam reliquus populus miserunt mille talenta argenti, ut conducerent sibi de Mesopotamia et de Syria Maacha et de Soba currus et equites;

6. When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and horsemen from Mesopota'mia, from Aram-ma'acah, and from Zobah.

7. conduxeruntque sibi triginta duo milia curruum et regem Maacha cum populo eius. Qui cum venissent, castrametati sunt e regione Medaba; filii quoque Ammon congregati de urbibus suis venerunt ad bellum.

7. They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Ma'acah with his army, who came and encamped before Med'eba. And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle.

8. Quod cum audisset David, misit Ioab et omnem exercitum virorum fortium.

8. When David heard of it, he sent Jo'ab and all the army of the mighty men.

9. Egressique filii Ammon direxerunt aciem iuxta portam civitatis; reges autem, qui ad auxilium venerant, separatim in agro steterunt.

9. And the Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

10. Igitur Ioab intellegens bellum et ex adverso et post tergum contra se fieri elegit viros fortissimos de universo Israel et perrexit contra Syrum;

10. When Jo'ab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Syrians;

11. reliquam autem partem populi dedit sub manu Abisai fratris sui, et perrexerunt contra filios Ammon.

11. the rest of his men he put in the charge of Abi'shai his brother, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites.

12. Dixitque: “Si vicerit me Syrus, auxilio eris mihi; si autem superaverint te filii Ammon, ero tibi in praesidium.

12. And he said, "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you.

13. Confortare et agamus viriliter pro populo nostro et pro urbibus Dei nostri; Dominus autem, quod in conspectu suo bonum est, faciet”.

13. Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him."

14. Appropinquavit ergo Ioab et populus, qui cum eo erat, contra Syrum ad proelium, et fugerunt a facie eorum.

14. So Jo'ab and the people who were with him drew near before the Syrians for battle; and they fled before him.

15. Porro filii Ammon videntes quod fugisset Syrus, ipsi quoque fugerunt Abisai fratrem eius et ingressi sunt civitatem. Reversusque est etiam Ioab in Ierusalem.

15. And when the Ammonites saw that the Syrians fled, they likewise fled before Abi'shai, Jo'ab's brother, and entered the city. Then Jo'ab came to Jerusalem.

16. Videns autem Syrus quod cecidisset coram Israel, misit nuntios et adduxit Syrum, qui erat trans fluvium; Sophach autem princeps militiae Adadezer erat dux eorum.

16. But when the Syrians saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Syrians who were beyond the Euphra'tes, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadade'zer at their head.

17. Quod cum nuntiatum esset David, congregavit universum Israel et transivit Iordanem venitque ad eos et direxit ex adverso aciem et pugnavit cum eis.

17. And when it was told David, he gathered all Israel together, and crossed the Jordan, and came to them, and drew up his forces against them. And when David set the battle in array against the Syrians, they fought with him.

18. Fugit autem Syrus Israel, et interfecit David de Syris septem milia curruum et quadraginta milia peditum et Sophach exercitus principem.

18. And the Syrians fled before Israel; and David slew of the Syrians the men of seven thousand chariots, and forty thousand foot soldiers, and killed also Shophach the commander of their army.

19. Videntes autem servi Adadezer se ab Israel esse superatos, fecerunt pacem cum David et servierunt ei; noluitque ultra Syria auxilium praebere filiis Ammon.

19. And when the servants of Hadade'zer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and became subject to him. So the Syrians were not willing to help the Ammonites any more.